Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

The poem "Farewell" by Guillaume Apollinaire is an emotionally resonant work that captures the melancholy of parting and the haunting persistence of memory. In just a few lines, Apollinaire weaves a complex tapestry of emotions that evoke both the poignancy of goodbyes and the hope-or perhaps the delusion-of reunions.

The poem begins with the narrator's act of culling "this twig of heather," an action that seems mundane but carries emotional weight. Heather is often associated with remoteness and the ruggedness of the landscape it commonly inhabits, such as heaths or moors. Its simple yet enduring nature may symbolize the resilient yet unassuming character of the love or friendship that the narrator is saying farewell to.

"Remember the autumn now too late" speaks volumes in its brevity. The season of autumn is a common metaphor for the later stages of life or the ending of something once vibrant. By saying "now too late," the narrator underlines the sense of loss and perhaps missed opportunities, as if the autumn has passed and the bleak winter is now inevitable. There's a sense of finality that rings in the phrase "too late," suggesting an ending that cannot be undone.

"We shall meet no more in any weather" drives home the permanence of the farewell. The word "weather" here seems to imply not just climatic conditions, but also emotional and situational climates. The line takes on a universality, expanding the emotional scope of the poem by stating that no circumstance, favorable or otherwise, will bring about a meeting.

Yet, the ending lines "Odor of the season twig of heather / And remember that I wait," complicate the preceding sense of finality. The twig of heather returns, as does the aroma it carries-an aroma that is intrinsically linked to a specific time and place. The odor serves as a sensory reminder of the past, tethering the one who holds it to the moment of farewell. The phrase "And remember that I wait" offers a surprising twist. Despite the poem's overall tone of finality, the narrator still waits-perhaps not for a reunion, but for the object of their affection to remember them.

"Farewell" is a poem of beautiful contradictions. It is both final and open-ended, bleak and hopeful. Apollinaire captures the universal human experience of saying goodbye and leaves us with a portrait of enduring emotion that continues to "wait," even against the insurmountable odds of never meeting "in any weather." It's a haunting evocation of the complexities of human relationships and the memories that survive long after parting.

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